Monument record 2600/0/48 - Post Medieval ditch, road and possible pit

{1} At the northern limit earthwork hollows were present denoting a sequence of post medieval roads/tracks interpreted as relics of earlier lines of the Peterborough-Oundle road. The series of earthworks survived running EW along the access line. A layer of gravel and limestone metalling survived cut by wheel ruts and a possible gully. This surface possibly consituted one of the late phases of road in this area. The earlier cut sealed under the bank, which was 0.6m high and created by the up-cast from the later cast. The presence of this bank perhaps suggest the two cuts served slightly different functions. The earlier ditch with no bank was most akin to the land divisions to the south.
The final ditch cut was 2.4m wide and 0.8m deep with a wide flared V shaped profile. The ditch cut the side of an earlier cut which was overlain by the bank material. Its surviving portion was 0.7m deep and had a similarly flared portion to the earlier example. The top fill of these two cuts had what might be a further shallow cut or a settlement hollow fill of gravel. Beneath the bank lay three ditch cuts. The latest was 2.15m wide and 0.65m deep with a flat bottom. It cut the north side of an earlier ditch, to the south of this ditch and cut by it was the earliest in the sequence which had a flared U shaped profile. The ditch measured 1.5m wide and 0.55m deep. About 20m to the south in trench 10 there were two possible shallow gullies. The furthest away being irregular in form and 1.2m wide and up to 0.2m deep, its uneveness may suggest a furrow base. The more northerly being 1m wide and 0.27m deep with a steeply rounded profile containing two sherds of Stamford Ware. The area 40m closest to the stream produced evidence for a EW system of ridge and furrow, along with a series of 22 scattered post-holes. Larger features were interpreted as pits recorded of uncertain origin. Between the stream course and the evidence of furrow bases a single ditch running WE. The ditch measuring 3.5m wide and 1.2m deep with a U shaped profile. It is possible that this formed part of the late saxon divisions.

1999, Medieval Archaeology (43), p.272 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN107451.

<1> Meadows I., 2002, Peterborough Road, Warmington, Northamptonshire: Excavations 1998, Final Report, Section 4.9 (Report). SNN102276.

<2> Chapman A, 1998-9, Warmington, Manor House, (unchecked) (Note). SNN104066.

Record last edited

Feb 7 2012 2:47PM